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Imhof taken by Philadelphia in 2nd Round

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Cal Poly junior southpaw Matt Imhof was the sixth selection in the second round, 47th overall, in Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft on Thursday night at the MLB Network studios in Secaucus, N.J.

Imhof, Cal Poly's third-highest draft choice and the fifth Mustang to be chosen in the second round or higher, was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Imhof compiled a 10-4 win-loss record as Cal Poly's Friday night starter with a 2.45 ERA. Facing the opposition's best starter each week, Imhof struck out 124 batters in 99 1/3 innings, No. 5 in the nation and best in the Big West.

He broke the school Division I record by striking out 15 Seattle batters in early March. Opponents hit just .195 against Imhof and he had one complete-game shutout (UC Davis) and combined on two other shutouts this season.

Last week, Imhof was named to Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's Louisville Slugger All-American second team as well as to the All-Big West Conference first team. Earlier Thursday, he earned a share of the Mustangs' Mike Krukow Outstanding Pitcher Award with Casey Bloomquist.

Catcher John Orton is Cal Poly's highest draft pick ever, chosen by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim as the 25th overall selection in the first round in 1987. Outfielder Mitch Haniger was the 38th overall pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2012 and Imhof moved past southpaw Garrett Olson, who was selected 48th overall by the Baltimore Orioles in 2005.

Both Haniger and Olson were compensatory picks between the first and second rounds. Cal Poly's only other second-round selection besides Imhof is outfielder Grant Desme, taken by the Oakland Athletics as the 74th overall selection in 2005.

A member of USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team last summer, Imhof recorded double-digit strikeouts five times this season. Posting a 7-3 record and 2.74 ERA a year ago, Imhof sports an 18-7 career mark at Cal Poly with a 2.68 ERA. His 250 career strikeouts is No. 6 all-time at Cal Poly while his 18 wins is tied for No. 10 all-time.

Imhof finished No. 7 in the nation this season in strikeouts per nine innings (11.23), 13th in hits allowed per nine innings (5.89) and 25th in victories (10). He is a graduate of Mission San Jose High School in Fremont.

Imhof was not drafted out of high school.

The scouting report on MLB.com says Imhof "pitches downhill with natural cutting movement on his fastball. His short, sharp slider is an out pitch at times. He has solid feel for a changeup, though it's still a work in progress.

"Imhof is generally around the plate with all of his pitches and has been one of the nation's top strikeout pitchers," the scouting report continues. "There's still some upside to Imhof as he continues to fill out, giving him the chance to be in a big league rotation in the future."

Cal Poly finished the 2014 season 47-12 overall, capturing its first Big West Conference championship and earning its third NCAA Division I regional berth in six years, hosting the San Luis Obispo Regional. The Mustangs, who have posted 12 winning seasons since 2000, won 40 games for the fourth time in school history, with the 47 victories an all-time school record.

Rounds one and two of the draft were held Thursday, with rounds three through 10 scheduled for Friday. The final 30 rounds of the 2014 MLB Draft will be conducted Saturday.

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